Follow your institution, not a random sample

Preliminary pages introduce the project and help readers navigate it, but their order differs across universities, faculties and departments. Begin with the current approved guide or template for your institution. A polished page in the wrong sequence is still non-compliant.

Organise content before page numbers

Prepare each required item—declaration, certification, dedication, acknowledgements, abstract, lists and table of contents—as a distinct section. Confirm names, titles and dates before applying Roman numerals. Automated tables work reliably only when headings and captions are structured consistently.

Run the final checks

Compare the visible headings with the table of contents, confirm that every list points to the correct page, and inspect the PDF rather than relying only on the editable file. Look for blank pages, broken section breaks and inconsistent spacing before submission.